The first signs are all around us…spikes of deep red fireweed leaves tucked into rocky hillsides; splashes of bright yellow in the black cottonwood trees closer to shore; the languid flight of recently fledged black-legged kittiwakes. Near the glaciers in this spectacular wilderness national park, things are beginning to turn, and autumn—that season of beautiful endings, is near.
Mists and low clouds dominate the scene; the sky offers tantalizing bits of blue, mountain peaks appear and fade away. Behind Russell Island, Pete and Justin spot a wolf! A dark gray loner, fishing in a gravelly stream recently colonized by some brave salmon scouting for new spawning habitat. We hold our collective breath and cheer silently as this much maligned predator catches a large fish and carries it up the riverbank. For many, wolves symbolize wilderness—for us, spending a part of our day with a being so wild and free is a reminder of why we traveled to Alaska.
Cruising south along the eastern edge of the bay, we pass rocky outcrops scraped by ice-held rocks and peer through low clouds to see a slice of off-white fur that morphs into a mountain goat high up on Gloomy Knob. In Tidal Inlet, bald eagles perch on a shore side branch while up the hill a bear ambles across the boulders of a braided stream. A huge splash off the starboard side and the triangular shape of a lunging humpback whale erupts near shore and surprises everyone!
Down the bay, a glimpse of a black bear climbing a rock, sea otters floating along, swift jaegers harassing the gulls and finally—the much awaited South Marble Island with tufted puffins flying everywhere!
Traveling through part of the 3 million acres of wilderness that makes up Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve is a grand reminder of the importance of intact ecosystems and wild places. The health of all species is dependent on our preservation of special places like this one.
